"How do you know when you love someone?" a hanahaki reddie story

Chapter 1; Flowers..?

A cold Friday morning in 1989

The school bell rang

Richie sighed. "I really don't want to be here, eds. I have a horrible feeling about today." Eddie glanced at him, fixing his fanny pack around his waist. "I told you not to call me that, Richie." Richie laughed. "You know you love it." 

They walked to math class together, their hands brushing together slightly. When they finally got to class, Bill greeted them at the door. "H-h-he-hey rich. Hey eddie." They waved simultaneously. Richie was looking at eddie almost the whole time him and bill were talking. Eddie was wearing a yellow polo shirt and red shorts. He stretched, and his stomach showed slightly. Richie wouldn't stop staring, and he started thinking. Eddie noticed him dazed, waving his hand in his face. "Rich? Rich!" Richie jerked awake. "what? oh, i'm awake, sorry Eds." Eddie looked at him, worried. "Are you alright, Trashmouth? You've been acting weird today." They walked to their seats, which were right next to each other. Bill's seat was at the front of the class. Eddie sat down gently, while richie threw himself down into his chair. He set his bag down next to him, grabbing his textbook. "What page are we on?" Richie asked, adjusting his glasses. Eddie looked at the board, then at Richie. "385, Rich, read the chalkboard]." Richie snickered. "shut up, eds." Eddie looked at Richie, giving him a dirty look. Richie started choking. Eddie looked at him, disgusted. "gross, dude." Eddie scooted away, hitting his inhaler. Richie couldn't stop coughing, and he felt like he had to throw up. He ran to the bathroom, Eddie following far behind. He ran into a bathroom stall, closing and locking it behind him. He choked and choked until four yellow flower petals came out of his throat, along with some blood. He wiped the blood off of his mouth with the sleeve of his tacky Hawaiian jacket, flushing the toilet and clearing his throat. Eddie finally ran into the bathroom. Richie looked up at him. "Eds? why'd you follow me? im fine." Eddie looked at him, worried. Richie looked back at him, trying so desperately not to burst out into tears. He knew exactly what he had. Flowers..? A crush on someone who could never love him? He had Hanahaki disease.

Richie jerked awake, a rock hitting his window. He rushed over to the window, Eddie down below. He pulled on his shoes, got dressed and fixed his hair. He ran over to the window, opening it and climbing out, holding his bag as he did. he jumped down off the roof, scaring eddie half to death. Eddie lightly smacked richie. "Don't do that, idiot. What if you got hurt one day?" Richie laughed. "Like that's possible. I'm like superman!" Eddie held in his laughter. "you're such a nerd." Rich rolled his eyes. He felt the urge to cough. Shit. he had to cough. He ran for a straight minute, getting far away enough from eddie to choke up the yellow petals. there were more this time. about 8 or 9. He hid them in the dirt as eddie got there. He looked at richie, panting. he had his inhaler in his hand, hitting it 2 or 3 times before he regained his breath. "i heard you coughing, Rich. You okay?" Richie quickly wiped the blood off of his mouth before looking up at eddie. "yeah, im fine. lets continue walking, yeah?" Eddie smiled at him. "okay!" Richie smiled back, slightly blushing. They continued walking to the clubhouse. When they finally got there, rich climbed down first, Eddie following behind. Rich was below Eddie, watching him climb down. Eddie stumbled, falling down the ladder. Richie caught him from below, making sure he was okay. Eddie struggled to open his fanny pack, grabbing his inhaler. Thats when Richie realized he had to cough. he coughed the flower petals into his hand, ripping them apart and putting them in his pocket so Eddie wouldn't notice. He cleared his throat, looking back at Eddie. Eddie was still recovering from the fall. Rich looked at him. "you okay Eduardo?" He said, walking over to the hammock, and past it, into the dark corner. Eddie looked at him. "what are you doing, rich?" he said, puzzled. Richie stopped walking, bending over and grabbing something. "I said I had something to show you, remember?" He said, turning around to look at Eddie. Richie had a kitten in his hand. Eddie ran over to him. "A cat?" Eddie said, looking at it. Richie grazed Eddie's hand with his own as they both pet the kitten gently. a few meows erupted from the kitten. "yeah. I found him last night when I was walking home." Eddie looked amazed. "does he have food, water, and warmth down here?" Eddie asked, listing the requirements off on his fingers. Richie sighed, looking at Eddie with pure love in his eyes. "Yes, Eddie. I'm not stupid." Eddie laughed, looking into his eyes. "Debatable." Richie put his hand on his chest, gasping. "How rude!" He crossed his arms. "I have all A's, y'know." Eddie smiled, looking at Richie. "i know, I know." Richie coughed. Eddie got up from the hammock, running at Richie and putting his hands on his shoulders. Richie choked even harder. "Richie!!" Eddie said, almost crying. Richie held in the flowers. He ran into the corner, coughing up the flowers into the dark. Eddie was crying. Richie looked at him, running over to him and immediately hugging him. "shh, ed's. im fine, I'm fine." Eddie grasped onto him, never wanting to let go. "I thought I was gonna lose you. I know it's stupid, but your coughing is deadly at this point, rich.. you have got to go to the doctor. " Richie stepped back. " No! " he stopped himself. " I mean, no. I don't wanna. the doctor's office is scary." Eddie sighed. "fine." He looked at the kitten, who was asleep in its bed that richie had bought with his moms money the night before. Eddie looked at his watch. "Shit, shit shit shit! Rich!! It's five!!" He said, grabbing his bag and climbing up the ladder. Richie grabbed his bag and followed behind. They grabbed their bikes and biked towards Eddie's house. "Wait, Eds! what if you just stayed at my house tonight?" Eddie stopped. "Hmm.. yeah, i like that idea. I'll have to call my mom, though." He said, feeling a raindrop fall on his arm. Richie looked up at the sky. It started pouring. "Shit- come on eds, lets go!" They quickly biked to richies house, Running inside. They ran upstairs, drying themselves off. Richie grabbed some clothes, going to the bathroom to change. When he came back, Eddie was wearing a hoodie and shorts from his closet. Eddie looked at him, then down at the clothes he was wearing. "oh, sorry- i was cold.." Rich looked at him, slightly blushing. "oh no, its fine eds. you can always borrow my stuff" Eddie went downstairs to call his mom, while richie felt the urge to cough. He ran to the bathroom as eddie got off the phone with his mom, following richie. Richie ran into the bathroom, closing the door behind him. Eddie knocked on the door as richie choked up 13 flower petals, along with about a liter of blood. He cleared his throat, forgetting to wipe the blood off of his bottom lip. He opened the door, Eddie standing right there as he was the whole time rich was choking. Eddie looked at him, a tear rolling down his face. "is.. is that blood?" he said, gently holding richies face in his right palm and wiping the blood off of his lip with his thumb. Richies face was redder than his blood. Eddie realized, putting his left hand on richies face too. "Rich? youre all red! are you okay?" Richie was so stunned that he couldnt speak. He fell backwards, Eddie falling with him. Eddie was now on top of richie, holding himself up with his hands on either side of richie's torso. Richie blacked out, Eddie shaking him as he fell asleep.

hi guyss<33 i really hope you like this fic so far! if so, im working on chapter two as you're reading this :)